Bottle harness



Jan. 30, 1968 G. K. BURKE BOTTLE HARNESS n. m. S Y M d, M! m.. AZ l -lL ,.l. M, Z a n: M, mw w l P@ a lr Z n.1 l [v/ Z WW Y -.V\\\ h l 0, WV Y. EL Il lll 1.4

WM ATTORNEYS l 3,366,360 BUT'ILE HARNESS George K. Burke, Bethlehem, Pa., assigner to Bur-ron Medical Products, Inc., Bethlehem, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Sept. 21, 1966, Ser. No. 581,035 Claims. (Cl. 248-318) The present invention relates to a new and novel bottle harness, and more particularly a bottle harness for supporting a bottle such as used for intravenous feeding and the like in hospitals.

The bottle harness of the present invention is especially adapted to support a bottle in an upside down position as is the case when giving intravenous feeding or when giving blood transfusions or similar operations in a hospital.

The bottle harness of the present invention is formed of flexible material which enables it to be readily mounted in operative position on a bottle and removed therefrom when desired. The construction is also such that it automatically conforms to the contour of the bottle. Additionally, it is important that the bottle be held securely in operative position and that there be no chance that the bottle will accidenally drop out of the harness. The harness construction according to the present invention is such that the bottle cannot accidentally drop out of the harness when it is mounted in operative position relative to the associated bottle.

A further feature of the present invention is the provision of a novel method whereby the bottle harness can be readily manufactured at a minimum cost.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel bottle harness which can be easily mounted in operative position and readily removed when desired, and which further automatically conforms to the contour of the associated bottle.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a bottle harness which securely holds an associated bottle in operative position and ensures that the bottle will not accidentally drop out of the harness.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel method of making a bottle harness.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bottle harness which is quite simple and inexpensive in construction, and yet which is quite effective and reliable in use.

Other objects and many attendant advantages of the invention will become more apparent when considered in connection with the specication and accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. l is a top perspective view of the harness of the present invention illustrated in its operative position;

FiG. 2 illustrates a first step in the manufacture of the bottle harness;

FIG. 3 illustrates a further step in making the harness; and

FIG. 4 is a top perspective view illustrating a final step in the method of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, FIG. l shows the assembled and mounted harness of the present invention, wherein a rst strip of tiexi'ole heat-scalable material such as polyvinyl chloride or the like is indicated generally by reference numeral 19, the opposite end portions 12 and 14 of this strip being joined to one another as by heat sealing.

A second strip of material similar to that of strip is indicated generally by reference numeral 20, spaced portions of strip being joined to the inner surface of strip 1d as by heat sealing at the portions indicated by reference numerals 22 and 24. Strip 20 includes opposite end portions and 32 which in the free form of the apparatus prior to mounting may lie in the same United States Patent O Fice e plane as the remainder of strip 20, with end portions 30 and 32 overlapped with one another. End portion 30 is secured at the terminal end thereof to the inner surface of strip Ztl as by heat sealing at portion 34. The terminal end of end portion 32 is secured to the outer surface of strip 2t) as by heat sealing at portion 36.

A typical bottle 4d is indicated in phantom lines, this bottle being illustrated as supported by the bottle harness and including a neck portion 42 of reduced dimension as is conventional in the art. A shoulder portion 44 is disposed adjacent neck portion 42.

It will be noted that the overlapped end portions 30 and 32 of strip 2) cooperatively define a collar portion through which the neck portion 42 of the bottle is adapted to extend. When the neck portion is inserted through this collar portion, the collar portion will engage the shoulder portion 44 of the bottle to restrict downward movement of the bottle. Due to the flexible nature of the material of stri-p 20 as well as the connections 34 and 36 of the end portions 30 and 32 which permit free movement of the end portions with respect to one another, this Iportion of the bottle harness is adapted to automatically conform to the conliguration of the bottle so as to fit snugly thereabout.

In a similar manner, the remaining portions of strip 20 as well as the strip 10 are adapted to conform to the outer configuration of the associated bottle.

The upper portion 5) of strip 20 which extends above strip 10 as seen in FlG. 1 is adapted to be supported in any suitable manner as by hook 52 as illustrated in phantom lines or any similar support means.

It is evident that the flexible nature of the two strips 19 and 20 permits the harness to be easily mounted in operative position and removed therefrom as desired, and further that the harness will automatically conform to the outer configuration of the associated bottle. The bottle is also held securely in position and there is no chance of the bottle dropping out of the harness once it is properly inserted in the operative position shown.

eferring now to FIGS. 2-4, the method of the present invention may be understood. Firstly, an elongated relatively flat strip of suitable material such as polyvinyl chloride is extruded and this strip is cut to provide a rst strip 26 as shown in FIG. 2 and a second strip 10 as shown in FlG. 3, it being apparent that strip 29 is considerably longer than strip l0. As shown in FIG. 3, the oppostie end portions l2 and 14 of strip l@ are joined as by heat sealing or the like to form an endless band.

As shown in FIG. 2, the opposite end portions of strip 2i) are overlapped for a predetermined distance and the terminal end 30' of end portion 30 is joined as by heat sealing to the inner surface of strip 20', while the terminal end 32' of end portion 32 is joined as by heat sealing to the outer surface of strip 2li.

After the terminal ends of the two end portions 30 and 32 have been secured to spaced portions of the strip at the portions 34 and 36 previously described, strip 20 is then folded as illustrated in FIG. 4 so that the inside at surfaces thereof are in contact with one another and with the overlapped end portions of the strip folded symmetrically at one extreme end of the folded strip.

Strip 10 is then folded symmetrically with the inside flat surfaces thereof disposed adjacent one another, and strip 10 is then slipped over strip 2t) and positioned substantially perpendicular to strip 20, strip 10 being disposed at points along strip 20 which are spaced approximately one-third of the length of the folded strip 20 from the end of the folded strip 20 opposite to the extreme end at. which the overlapped end portions are disposed.

A suitable insulating body such as a piece of Teon tape or the like as indicated by reference numeral 60 in FIG. 4 is then inserted between the facing inner surfaces of 3 strip 20 adjacent the points where the strips 10 and 20 crossY one another. The strips and 20 are then heat sealed to one another at the points where they cross, the

' insulating material 60 preventing the inner surfaces of strip from being bonded tol one another. The insulating body 60 is then removed and the bottle harness is ready for use.

VJigs and fixtures are employed in all of the above described operations of the method of the present invention. When assembling the harness on a proper sized bottle, the harness may be mounted in operative position by slight stretching of the strips thereof. Pre-heating of the vinyl material of the strips will facilitate suchstretching;

It is apparent from the foregoing that there is provided according to the present invention a new and novel bottle harness which may be easily mounted in operative position and removed therefrom when desired, and which further automatically conforms to the outer contour of the Iassociated bottle. The bottle is held securely in operative position and there is no possibility of the bottles accidentally falling out of the harness. A novel method is provided according to the present invention whereby the harness may be readily manufactured at a minimum cost. The bottle harness is quite simple and inexpensive in construction, and yet at the same time is quite effective and reliable in use.

As this invention may be embodied in severalforms Without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the present embodiment is therefore illustrative and not restrictive, and since the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims, all changes that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims or that form their functional as well as conjointly cooperative equivalents are therefore intended to be embraced by those claims. Y

I claim: Y

1. A bottle harness comprising a pair of strips of flexi- 1 ble material, a first one of said strips being joined iat op-v posite end portions thereof to provide in its free form an endless band lying substantially in a first plane, a second one of said strips having the opposite end portions thereof overlapped With one another and with' the terminal ends of said overlapped end portions joined with spaced por'- tions of said second strip to provide a collar portion for receiving the neck of a bottle, said second strip'providing in its free form an endless band lying substantially in a second planewhich is disposed substantially perpendicular to said first plane, said first strip being joined with said second strip at portions of said second strip disposed a substantial distance from said collar portion.

2. A bottle harness as defined in claim 1, wherein with said second strip folded symmetrically with the inside surfaces thereof in contact with one another and with the v the folded second strip.

one extreme end of the folded strip, said first strip isY secured to said second strip at portions of said second strip disposed approximately one-third of the length of the folded second strip from the opposite extreme end of 3. Apparatus asdened in claim 1, wherein each of said strips is formed of heat-scalable plastic material, the opposite end portions of each of said strips being joined in place by heat sealing, and said first strip being secured to said second strip by heat sealing.

4. A bottle harness as defined in claim 1, wherein saidk strips for a predetermined distance, and joining the terminal ends of said second strip to spaced portions of said second strip by heat sealing to form an endless band with overlapped portions defining a collar portion for receiving the neck of a bottle, folding said second strip symmetrically with the inside surfaces thereof adjacent one another with said overlapped end portions folded symmetrically at one extreme end of the folded second strip, folding said iirst strip with the inside surfaces thereof adjaf cent one another, slipping said first folded strip over said second folded strip and centrally positioning said first strip Iadjacent portions of said second strip which are approximately one-third the distance from the opposite extreme end of said second strip With said first strip and said second strip disposed substantially at right angles to one another, inserting a piece of insulating material between the inside surfaces of said second strip adjacent the points where said first and second strips cross one another, then heat sealing and bonding the adjacent surfaces of said first and second strips to one another with the insulating material preventing the inside surfaces of said second strip from being bonded to one another, and then removing said piece of insulating material. 

1. A BOTTLE HARNESS COMPRISING A PAIR OF STRIPS OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL, A FIRST ONE OF SAID STRIPS BEING JOINED AT OPPOSITE END PORTIONS THEREOF TO PROVIDE IN ITS FREE FROM AN ENDLESS BAND LYING SUBSTANTIALLY IN A FIRST PLANE, A SECOND ONE OF SAID STRIPS HAVING THE OPPOSITE END PORTIONS THEREOF OVERLAPPED WITH ONE ANOTHER AND WITH THE TERMINAL ENDS OF SAID OVERLAPPED END PORTIONS JOINED WITH SPACED PORTIONS OF SAID SECOND STRIP TO PROVIDE A COLLAR PORTION FOR RECEIVING THE NECK OF A BOTTLE, SAID SECOND STRIP PROVIDING IN ITS FREE FORM AN ENDLESS BAND LYING SUBSTANTIALLY IN A SECOND PLANE WHICH IS DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO SAID FIRST PLANE, SAID FIRST STRIP BEING JOINED WITH SAID SECOND STRIP AT PORTIONS OF SAID SECOND STRIP DISPOSED A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE FROM SAID COLLAR PORTION. 